Sunday, July 4, 2010

Today, July 4, the United States celebrates its independence from Great Britain, declared back in 1776. It's a one-day holiday - although sometimes celebrations are held on other days. In Todd, North Carolina, for example, a "Freedom Parade" was held on July 3. This was not a patriotic parade, in the sense of having a lot of red, white & blue & speeches about how great the USA is. Instead, the event celebrated freedom. In a way, it did not even celebrate independence but rather inter-dependence. The theme was ecology, and we celebrated the river that runs through Todd & the ecosystem it supports.

I am from the United States & there are plenty of things with which I am dissatisfied. But - one thing I do like is the diversity. There are lots of people who wave flags in blind patriotism, but there are also many people who are more thoughtful & trying to make the world & their country a better place.